Jump to content

Blakbird

Technic Regulator
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    4,213

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Blakbird

  1. Blakbird
    I can confirm that the B model is really good. I had a lot of fun putting it together and playing with it afterward.
  2. Blakbird
    I use my iPad for all electronic instruction building, even for 5000+ part models. I find that the small footprint is important versus a laptop, and the resolution is just as good anyway.
  3. Blakbird
    You can also look at the Technical Fundamentals section of Technicopedia and look at the animations of the functions of various sets.
  4. Blakbird
    If there is no significant load on your functions, then you can use pretty much any motor. I'd recommend a Power Functions Medium motor. For general visual ideas of how to use gears I recommend Isogawa's series of Technic Idea books. For more detailed information, I recommend Sariel's Unofficial Technic Builder's Guide. Beyond that, it is not really feasible for someone to explain how to achieve your goals without knowing precisely what they are. Your best avenue would probably be to purchase a medium sized motorized Technic set and build it from the instructions. Such a model would have examples of how to do most of what you are asking.
  5. Blakbird
    HELP NEEDED I finished building the zig-zag lift last night and it is a complete disaster. It doesn't work at all. The ball doesn't even get started in the lift, and if you force it to start, then it just jams at every level. The slider in back is not supported well enough to remain vertical so it tips and gets stuck. The output ramp works though! I am a bit burned out on this so I am looking for volunteers to build the model and see if you can figure out what to do to make it work. Perhaps there is a good reason this module doesn't appear in any of Akiyuki's recent layouts. I have a draft copy of the instructions for use by those who want to help. Please only volunteer if you are serious about building the model and helping to figure out the problems, not just to get an advance copy of the instructions.
  6. Blakbird
    Looks like a good start but still a long way to go. It needs the input hopper, the output ramp, the roller guides at the top and bottom, the top rails, and of course the tracks. I can't see whether or not there should be another set of sprockets in the middle based on the video, but it would make sense for them to be there because there does not appear to be a physical connection between the upper 3 tracks and the lower 3 tracks. The folder is not yet public so I can't access the image. In any case, I would only post the thumbnail image once the file is complete and looks like the final Akiyuki module. Thanks for the help!
  7. Blakbird
    Instructions for Akiyuki's Fork Module are now tested and complete and are available here along with a Brickstore parts list. 56 pages 878 parts I want to thank The ReBricker for doing some work on preparing the files for this model. This module appears simple but was a real challenge. The video is only 30 seconds long so there is not a lot of information to go on, and some angles are not seen. I spent a LOT of time with the file trying to get it just right, but I failed miserably because when I tested the instructions it didn't work at all. The whole rotor assembly was 2 studs too low and interfered with everything. Once I got that sorted and got everything timed, I now love this module. It works very quickly and smoothly. The planetary system for the forks is awesome to watch. This is another module in which I found that the polarity was reversed compared to the others. Luckily, it was very easy to add an 8 tooth idler gear to change the direction so now it is consistent with all the other modules. I spent a lot of time improving the build order in the instructions because, although the original worked, it was hard to put together and sometimes parts had to be removed to install other parts. I think that should all be fixed now. There is some timing to do with this module, but it is pretty simple. As long as the model is built in the rig position shown in the instructions it will work fine. The counterweight should be facing down, the rotor arm should be horizontal, and the forks should be vertical.
  8. Blakbird
    There is still some interference on the flat edges, just not as much. I think the notion that allowing any sustained interference in a LEGO part is "illegal" is silly. Interference is what holds every stud to every mating part and what holds every friction pin into its hole. Virtually all of LEGO construction relies on sustained assembly stress to stay together. There is nothing wrong with using a driving ring on a smooth axle connector.
  9. Blakbird
    It is certainly the most interesting, but it is also very difficult to get it running right and quite fragile and susceptible to problems when moving it. I love this module, but it is not robust enough for me to recommend it as the ONLY module to own. On the other hand, it is so cool that it may be worth it to you. Come to think of it, it is the one I build first because I liked it the most!
  10. Blakbird
    Whoever it is must be super awesome.
  11. Blakbird
    Using a regulator doesn't solve the problem. Although it makes it possible to run the motor in the right direction, if every other regulator in your layout turns clockwise and one of them turns counterclockwise then there is a high probability you will end up running it backwards. Also, even though a regulator allows you to run the module slower, you still end up with less torque if you do that in place of gearing down the motor. The motor is working much less hard after the gear reduction. Good point! We actually don't know how Akiyuki attached the motor is his original design because it isn't shown. My modification is reasonably in line with what you can see in the bottom view of his "V2". Based on this feedback, I will add the mods to the instructions. Of course anyone is free to ignore this part and just attach the motor directly if they want.
  12. Blakbird
    A question for the "team" about the Basket Shooter module. I finished building it this weekend and tried it out. There is no specific motor mounting in the instructions right now, but it can obviously just be plugged in to the left side of the module. The problem is that every single other Akiyuki module runs with the same polarity (regulator switch clockwise) but this module runs with the opposite polarity and will destroy itself if you try to run it the same as the others. It also runs too fast when driven directly from the motor and bogs down. I came up with a simple remote mounting for the motor that gears it down, adds a clutch, and reverses direction so it runs the same way as every other module. However, this is not the Akiyuki design. Should I include this as baseline in the instructions? To be fair, Akiyuki's later changes shown in the bottom view also have a remotely mounted motor with a clutch, so I'm not too far off what he ended up doing.
  13. Blakbird
    I'm not sure how we would even attempt to reverse engineer that module since there is no video for it. The basket shooter is VERY sensitive to the balls. Even with all normal LEGO balls there is enough variation in the balls and shooter that you really can't get more than about 50% to go in the basket. You could probably make it work with aftermarket balls, but you would have to use ONLY those balls and not mix them with any other.
  14. Blakbird
    Nice find! I wish we had access to this image earlier because it really shows a lot of changes. Most obviously, Akiyuki has done away with the baseplate altogether. This has a lot of advantages for access to the mechanisms. A couple of side effects of this are that the adjustment actuators are no longer anchored to the floor so they need to be supported differently. Likewise, the triggers are not supported on the bottom so it looks like a rail has been added to support them from the top but still allow them to slide side to side. The control panel is now collapsible and held either out or in by a spring damper. Extra long slip joints have been added to the controls to make this possible. There is also an L motor, a clutch gear, and a ratchet. The motor is very remote from the triggers so this means a long drive axle is needed. The new input hopper lifter is also driven from this. Incorporating all these changes would be a huge amount of work. For the moment, I will concentrate on updating djm's instructions to "v2" which will be only minimally different in design but different in presentation. At some future date, I may try to update the whole thing to this "v3".
  15. Blakbird
    I don't know how to get it in France, but you can use nearly any 3mm pneumatic tubing. I would recommend the extended version. I think it needs a ramp in order to be usable.
  16. Blakbird
    That is pretty hard for anyone to answer for you because the depends on what you find interesting. If I was going to have only one it would probably be the Invisible Lift and if I were to add one more it would be the Cycloidal Drive. Just use the subtract feature in Brickstock. Subtract the module you want to build from your parts. Any quantity that ends up negative is something you still need.
  17. Blakbird
    I have never used any LDD file. I'm not sure what you want to change to white, but that would be a big project. Just start with the Brickstore parts list and go from there. Yes, I intend to update this file when I am done. I knew about the first one, it is on my list of things to fix. I don't see the problem with second one. The wheel is clearly visible right in the middle of the front rail. I think you might be referring to an old version of the step module. When Akiyuki made updates, I only planned to do the most recent. Edit: I see the one you mean on. I can't find any evidence that Akiyuki ever presented this module. Are you sure it is his?
  18. Blakbird
    No thanks, I am testing most of them myself. Much easier to make corrections that way. This model will probably be ready by the end of the month along with the fork module.
  19. Blakbird
    No, mine works perfectly.
  20. Blakbird
    I'm pretty sure the unit has current protection so you can't really hurt it by trying. I see no reason a PF M or L wouldn't work. A buggy motor is pushing it.
  21. Blakbird
    Very few. I color coded the plates on the tiled floor to make it more obvious where the modules go. I also made the latest updates to the design that Rebricker suggested. I would be ready to publish right now except that there is a small misalignment in one of those updates that is really bothering me.
  22. Blakbird
    The real machine seems bigger.
  23. Blakbird
    I think it is certainly worth doing CAD and instructions for this module. I didn't originally intend to do the robotic modules, but since you've come so far.... It is indeed expensive to build such a large module. I got all my parts from Bricklink.
  24. Blakbird
    Nothing teaches you how a mechanism works like deriving the equations of motion for an animation. Today I've been working on the Fork Module and it took me some time to get the ratios right but I really like how this thing moves! I also thought it was pretty cool that the motion of the forks, when stacked as individual frames, make a perfect 3 petal parametric rose.
  25. Blakbird
    Nice! Finally a use for those brick seperators. Eureka, it works!
×
×
  • Create New...